Unfortunately, once you fall in love with power boating there’s no turning back. It’s in your blood forever. Shopping for a new boat can be challenging. So many decisions to be made and so many things to consider. A boat is usually a multipurpose investment that can be used for waterskiing, wakeboarding, bare footing, tubing, jumping, fishing, riding to your favorite hangout, weekend getaways, and more. It’s often a bigger decision than buying a car, which is essentially a means of transportation to get you from point A to point B. And each of these events sometimes requires different qualities in a boat to get the best performance.
Most people who are about to buy a boat have visions of nonstop fun on the water, but the reality is boats can be lots of work and require extreme care and regular maintenance in order for that fun on the water to be long lasting. Before you take the boat buying plunge let me clue you in on two of the most widely spoken quotes in the boating world. “The happiest day of a boat owner’s life is the day they buy the boat and the day they sell the boat” and “Boats are nothing more than holes in the water, into which you throw money.” Sounds so gloomy, doesn’t it? It doesn’t have to be. That’s why it is so crucial for you to do your homework prior to purchasing a boat.
So, if you’re still up to the challenge and responsibility of being a boat owner, use following checklist to go by when purchasing a boat of any kind.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE BOAT
Decide what your main purpose(s) for the boat will be. Do you want it strictly for waterskiing or strictly for recreational wakeboarding? Will it mainly be a fishing boat that you’ll occasionally want to water-ski behind? These factors will determine your engine type (inboard, inboard/outboard, or outboard). Or do you have kids that like to do a little bit of everything behind the boat?
POTENTIAL COSTS
How much can you afford? Saving money on a purchase up front can cost you in the long run. Be sure to buy quality. Remember to take into consideration the following costs beyond the actual price of the boat and your monthly payments: insurance, boat and trailer registration fees, taxes, fuel, docking/mooring fees, storage, and equipment such as life jackets, fire extinguishers, flares, marine radio, anchor, dock lines, and a trailer if needed. When the boat is not in use you’ll want to give it proper storage. Don’t over look maintenance and repair costs to the boat. This can be the most discouraging factor to a boat owner. On average these annual costs averages around £30 per foot (boat length), however they can be significantly higher, depending on if you do the work yourself, or you let a marina do the work for you. Good maintenance habits can add years to your boat and save you many pounding headaches. This is not an area in which you want to skimp.
You should also consider these optional items, depending on your water sports preferences: water skis, wakeboards, wet suits, towables (tubes), tow ropes and gloves, weight system for wakeboarding, pylon, boom, tower, etc.
WHAT TYPE OF BODY OF WATER WILL YOU BE USING
Larger, more wide open bodies of water require bigger boats, or those with V-drives or inboard/outboard engines. Larger boats handle rough water better than smaller boats. Direct drive boats are good for smaller lakes that generally have smooth water. Serious slalom skiers usually prefer direct drives and serious wake boarders prefer V-drives. If your body of water is large and often chops up a bow-rider may not be the best choice. You don’t want to run the risk of water coming in over an open bow and swamping you..
MANUFACTUERERS WARRANTIES
Extremely important. No matter how new your boat is, warranties can vary tremendously. If purchasing a new boat be sure to go with a boat manufacturer that stands firmly behind their product and is going to rise to the occasion when things go wrong. This is an area in which you do lots of comparison shopping.
Regular maintenance is a must. Think about it for a moment. Your jet ski endures high speeds and harsh elements every time you take it out. Although they are built to take this abuse, over time any neglect will cost you hundreds if not thousands of pounds in repair bills not to mention being stranded out on the water. Regular servicing is the most cost effective way of ensuring you’ll be enjoying your watercraft for years to come and an excellent way to get the highest resale value for your ski.
As the East of England’s exclusive Seadoo main agent we are able to offer full servicing and aftercare service at our fully equipped workshop. We use genuine Seadoo parts to ensure the factory performance, safety, reliability and warranty of your jet ski is maintained and we carry all servicing items in stock.
Benefits of Genuine Parts: they’re specifically designed for your vehicle, they must pass constant quality control checks to ensure that your seadoo remains as safe and reliable as the day it was first used, their use will ensure your crafts Euro NCAP rating is maintained whereas the use of non-genuine parts could compromise your safety and that of your passengers, they’re protected by the manufacturer warranty, they’re engineered and manufactured to stringent standards – for a precise, just-like-new fit and they will add value to your vehicle – we’ll stamp your service book to prove the genuine manufacturer mark.
